1. 3 Contents Chapter Your Changing Personality
Section 1 Life’s Stages and Human Needs
Section 2 Gender and Personality
Section 3 Developing Self-Esteem
Section 4 The Importance of Peer Groups

2. Fact or Fiction?
Is this statement true or false? If you think it’s false, explain what is true.
Human beings need the respect of others even more than they need shelter.

3. Content Vocabulary personality self-image psychology variables
hierarchy
needs
self-actualization

4. Your personality is a large part of how people see the total “you,” on the outside.
You are continually adapting your personality to fit the picture of your self-image.
personality
The characteristics of a person that are apparent to others
self-image
The characteristics that a person sees in himself or herself

5. Changes that occur in people’s lives can affect their personalities.5

6. Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life
Erikson’s theory divides the human life span into eight stages.

7. Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life
In psychology, the pioneer thinker Erik Erikson has described how people become who they are through eight stages.
psychology
The scientific study of behavior and the mind 7

8. Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life
The eight stages of life according to Erik Erikson: (turn to page 53)
Infancy
Toddler
Preschool age
School age
Adolescence
Young adulthood
Adulthood
Older adulthood 8

9. A Teen’s New Experiences
People develop their identities and their ability to reason during the teen years. 9

10. A Teen’s New Experiences
New Ways of Thinking
In addition to new styles of fashion, music, and art, teens also develop new ways of thinking.
Teens can consider variables and use logic to make predictions of what might happen.
variables
Changeable factors that affect outcomes

11. A Teen’s New Experiences
New Emotions
Feeling a variety of emotions is normal and helps lead to the development of an identity.
Learning to cope with these emotions will help you move on to adult tasks with less difficulty.
Self-doubt and a sense of failure will make adulthood difficult. 11

12. Human Needs According to Maslow
Personality develops in stages throughout life. 12

13. Human Needs According to Maslow
Abraham Maslow described life’s tasks as a hierarchy. This is much like a ladder of human needs that people of all ages experience at different times.
hierarchy
A ranking system in which each thing is placed above or below others.
needs
Urgent wants for necessary things 13

14. Human Needs According to Maslow
A Ladder of Needs
According to Maslow, people will first try to meet their basic needs before they can begin to think about “higher” needs.
The ultimate need is
self-actualization.
self-actualization
The realization of one’s full potential 14

16. Traits of Self-Actualization
Human Needs According to Maslow
Traits of Self-Actualization
According to Maslow, self-actualized people share the following traits:
Accept themselves and others, and accept imperfections.
Are self-motivated, rather than externally motivated.
Are problem solvers, rather than complainers. 16

17. Traits of Self-Actualization
Human Needs According to Maslow
Traits of Self-Actualization
Self-actualized people also share these traits:
Have a strong set of values by which they live, and are sensitive to ethical issues.
Believe in the power of people, holding that most are basically good.
Are at peace with themselves and their world. 17

18. Human Needs According to Maslow
Service to Others
To be helpful fills a need to feel important and to be appreciated by others.
Performing needed service to others helps develop identity. 18

19. Human Needs According to Maslow
A Lifetime of Needs
No one ever arrives at the point of being completely finished with any level of needs.
As soon as one need is met, another takes its place. 19

20. Section Review: Reviewing the Vocabulary
Define self-actualization.
self-actualization
The realization of one’s full potential

21. Section Review: Reviewing the Vocabulary
Define variables.
variables
Changeable factors that affect outcomes